Scientology’s astounding pre-history in a new book you really need to read

Scientology’s astounding pre-history in a new book you really need to read

In June, we were very fortunate to have author Alec Nevala-Lee with us in Chicago for our annual small gathering, HowdyCon. He was there so we could get to know him ahead of the publication of his exciting new book, Astounding: John W. Campbell, Isaac Asimov, Robert A. Heinlein, L. Ron Hubbard, and [...]

Dawn of Dianetics: L. Ron Hubbard, John W. Campbell, and the Origins of Scientology
Read an excerpt adapted from Alec Nevala-Lee’s book, Astounding.

This excerpt is a good example of LRH trying to con mental health professionals and Heinlein into thinking he was actually doing something worthwhile and had psychiatrists who were his "passionate pals" who would kill him because his mental health treatment was so good it would put them out of business. It's sad but many people will believe and admire this kind of blatant bullshit:

"Years later, Hubbard would incorporate many of these ideas into the teachings of the Church of Scientology, but his first inclination was to pitch the scientific community. On April 13, 1949, he wrote to the American Psychiatric Association, the American Psychological Association, and the Gerontological Society in Baltimore, saying that he had treated twenty patients until they could remember events from before birth. He claimed to be working for free with criminals, orphans, and a boy who was failing his classes, and he told the writer Robert A. Heinlein—another important member of Campbell’s circle—that if he ever started charging for his services, “the local psychiatrists, now my passionate pals, would leave me dead in some back alley.”"

Scientology’s astounding pre-history in a new book you really need to read

In June, we were very fortunate to have author Alec Nevala-Lee with us in Chicago for our annual small gathering, HowdyCon. He was there so we could get to know him ahead of the publication of his exciting new book, Astounding: John W. Campbell, Isaac Asimov, Robert A. Heinlein, L. Ron Hubbard, and [...]

I just finished reading the book - it was a great read. I'm thinking of reading Dianetics again. I found Scientology by reading Dianetics - no contact with the Church. When I went to the local org I explained that I found many things in the book that didn't make sense. That was no problem for the staff member I spoke to. Now I'd like to read it again (in light of the information in Astounding) to see what it was that I found attractive about it.

I just finished reading the book - it was a great read. I'm thinking of reading Dianetics again. I found Scientology by reading Dianetics - no contact with the Church. When I went to the local org I explained that I found many things in the book that didn't make sense. That was no problem for the staff member I spoke to. Now I'd like to read it again (in light of the information in Astounding) to see what it was that I found attractive about it.

Click to expand...

I dunno Mr. T, I slogged through DMSMH once and about half a dozen attempts at a second reading just bogged down in the hype

SOS is worth a second reading. I haven't cracked one open in the past few years but I've owned several and given it much study most especially when I was sequestered in an attic for seven months in 1981

I finished Nevala-Lee's book a couple days ago, and liked it a lot. There's some stuff in there about the earliest days of dianetics that I hadn't seen before. For example, when Astounding editor John W.Campbell proved resistant to hypnosis (which was the original dianetic technique*), Hubbard had him take phenobarbital and scopolamine. Campbell hated the effect and refused to do it again, so Hubbard rigged up a strobe-like device using mirrors, a candle, and a phonograph turntable, which was highly effective.

Nevala-Lee cites letters written by Campbell as source for the above.

I recommend the book if you're interested in the early days of dianetics, or the "golden age" of science fiction.

This looks like a terrific book. From Tony O's description, the book has a specialized historical perspective that brings a far deeper understanding of how the narcissistic Hubbard wannabeaMessiah thing was created. It's fascinating to read about the sci-fi writers thinking of themselves as some sort of super-genius cult of their own and makes perfect sense. No wonder Hubbard was so busy faking his credentials, when he was up against real minds like Isaac Asimov. The rest of their group was fascinating and interesting, but never in the same genius league as Asimov. They just thought they were and the whole lot of them were egocentric narcissists.

There are terrific insights into the sci-fi-cult of the time that created the Hubbard TULPA (heh, just had to use Mystic's word for old times' sake ) from Tony's passages and I look forward to reading the book.

Wow, scopolamine is the active compound in the notorious Colombian drug "burundanga" that I was first made aware of back in the mid 90's on a trip to Colombia and the US had issued travelers advisories that were on the front page of the American news flyers that were in newsstands and newspaper boxes for free all around the city. It said that thieves would blow it into your face among other delivery methods so as to put people into trances where they would do anything their captors demanded with no memory of any of it later. It was the drug used to create Zombies by witch doctors which it would if you were given enough of it over a long enough time period by which you would become a soulless animal that would obey their every command no matter what. You might afterwards find you had made a gang bang video that you have no memory of making that becomes all the buzz around your social circles, it's happened to women! It is easily made as an alkaloid from the seeds of the Angel Trumpet plant. My Colombian former brother in law had become dosed and held hostage for 5 days earlier in his life.Burundanga - chemical submission

I finished Nevala-Lee's book a couple days ago, and liked it a lot. There's some stuff in there about the earliest days of dianetics that I hadn't seen before. For example, when Astounding editor John W.Campbell proved resistant to hypnosis (which was the original dianetic technique*), Hubbard had him take phenobarbital and scopolamine. Campbell hated the effect and refused to do it again, so Hubbard rigged up a strobe-like device using mirrors, a candle, and a phonograph turntable, which was highly effective.

Nevala-Lee cites letters written by Campbell as source for the above.

I recommend the book if you're interested in the early days of dianetics, or the "golden age" of science fiction.

haven't read his book. But I doubt he was aware of the Campell/Heinlien letters which one one can read but are not available thru google search. You have to register and pay for them to read them letters.

Campbell was Hubbard's first auditor to train. And Campbell admitted to Heinlein Hubbard had it all wrong.

"
I don't know if anybody has read the links I provided above regarding Le Bon's works. :confused2:
I surely hope people do other than me and Face.
Nor do I know if folks here have read the Heinlein letters between Hubbard and Robert Heinlein. I surely hope folks do.
BUT, since the Heinlein letters between Hubbard give an insight, I thought to check out the John Campbell letters between himself and Heinlein.
Here's the link on the file:http://heinleinarchives.net/upload/index.php?_a=viewProd&productId=893
It costs two bucks to get it.
In reading that file of letters today between Campbell & Heinlein, you'll eyes will be even more opened. And I hope somebody with a better brain than me will read those letters between Campbell & Heinlein. While the Heinlein letters to Hubbard are important, these letters back and forth between Heinlein & Campbell are even more important, much more so. Just about every letter is about dianetics and more insightful. Campbell is a talking festival.
snip"

While I was waiting for the library too come up with Nevala-Lee's book, I decided to re-read Asimov's Foundation series, which I last read circa age twelve.

In the second book, "Foundation and Empire," there's a character named Ebling Mis whose favorite exclamation is "Ga-LAX-y!", with the emphasis on the second syllable. There's only one person I've ever heard pronounce the word like that -- L. Ron Hubbard.

It’s clear Hubbard was a con-man from birth – like most founders of religions, I suppose – and Lee’s relentless chronicling of his nautical incompetence, from college through the Navy to his pantomime pirate antics aboard his extradition-evading “Sea Org,” makes for gruesome amusement.[16]​

​

Although Hubbard is clearly a paranoid nutjob right from the start, ....​

I've read half the article. I don't know if I'll finish it. But it is free to read.

It’s clear Hubbard was a con-man from birth – like most founders of religions, I suppose – and Lee’s relentless chronicling of his nautical incompetence, from college through the Navy to his pantomime pirate antics aboard his extradition-evading “Sea Org,” makes for gruesome amusement.[16]​

​

Although Hubbard is clearly a paranoid nutjob right from the start, ....​

I've read half the article. I don't know if I'll finish it. But it is free to read.

Paul

Click to expand...

I read the whole review Paul.

The review fails to point out how Hubbard did indeed create a religion and an empire of people who became Scientologists, who became staff members, who became involved from the get go, who became Sea Org members, who became a person like DM. Lee's book does not get into this.

This review and other books fail to mention how people fell for dianetics and scientology and why did they join and then leave.

This review and other books fail to mention how Hubbard got Campbell to be a auditor and audit people. This info is only revealed in the personnel letters between Hubbard and Campbell and between Campbell and Heinlein.

You really ought to read them Paul.

While it's true, one could say Hubbard was a con artist, but he did indeed create an empire of followers. The real question to ask is how did he do it? Since we know there are no clears or OT's.